Witch Hunt
by Zab222
Summary: This story is based off of the video 'Witch Hunt' sung by Kagamine Rin & Len, Megurine Luka, Gakupo and Hatsune Miku. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it! Enjoy reading about Luka's secret and how she is torn when she finds out who the man she loves really is. What will she do to protect the people she loves?


It was a beautiful day. The sun was nearing its peak in the sky and bathing the forest below in a warm gentle light. Underneath the canopy of branches the light broke through the branches to light up the space with a warm green glow. A young woman was walking through the warm haze.

Her bare feet carefully stepped over branches, roots and bramble. She moved gracefully between the trees, being vigilant over her white simple dress and long pink hair so neither would snag on stretching limbs. Her light purple eyes watched the forest floor ahead, catching every detail and slightest movement. Across her forehead she wore a simple strap of cloth that held a single white bead sown into it.

She rounded a large tree and entered a small clearing. In the center there was a tall tree, it branches splayed out across the clearing nearly blotting out the sun. The woman smiled widely and ran over to it. At its' base grew a white flower that poked through the trees root and seemed to glow in a faint silver light.

She leaned down to pick it but stopped herself. "Grandmother said not to pluck it..." she mumbled to herself, reaching into her basket and pulling out a small notebook. She riffled through it, biting her lip then grinned. "The entire flower must be safely and carefully removed from the earth…" her finger drifted over a page as she read. _There's a spell here…_

She stood and extended her hand, palm down, to be above the flower. In her other hand she held the small notebook. "_Flower whose made of light, bring thy self to me so that I may use thee for the purpose of healing others."_

The flower's silver light brightened and its petals quivered. Slowly, it rose from the ground and into her hand. Its' stem was long and thick, its' width was as wide as her hand with her fingers spread and at the base of its' stem was a dark brown bulb.

She carefully placed it into her basket then turned to go back the way she had come. She moved through the forest with a large grin on her face, hardly paying attention to where she was going as she flipped through the small book. "This will sure come in handy if someone is severely ill," she murmured.

The young woman didn't look up until she stepped onto a path. As she walked down it, she placed the notebook into her basket then covered the flower with a small cloth that lined it.

After a short distance she entered a bustling village. Buildings made of stone and wood lined a main cobbled street, several had signs hanging above their doors, holding images of a needle and thread, a tankard, a hammer, or a bed. People were walking down the street, in or out of the shops and talking in small groups. The woman smiled lovingly at the scene in front of her.

She headed towards a side road that was next to a building with a sign that had a loaf of bread painted on it. As she walked, the villagers that passed her smiled and waved. "Good morning Miss Luka!" A group of young children ran up to her giggling and waving.

"Hello, children," she smiled widely reaching into her basket and pulling out several small cakes which she handed to each of them. They ran away laughing, showing their mothers their treats. Luka smiled at them and waved; they returned the gesture and called their 'thank you's. She reached the side street and walked down the path, which had fewer buildings on it. She came upon a small house at the end this street and walked in side of it.

Other than an archway where stairs led upward, the walls of the small hut were covered with all different sized and colored jars. Three tables were pressed up against walls, chairs were scattered about the room and a potbellied stove was nestled in a corner. On two of the tables were glass containers and inside each of these were some kind of plant, varying in size and color. Under these tables were large vases with wooden tops that covered their openings. The third table had a cutting board resting on its surface as well as knives, ladles and a mortar and pestle.

Luka walked over to an empty glass container, while she pulled her new specimen from its hiding place. She placed it gently in the glass box and after she had closed its lid she moved towards the third table. She pulled the rest of the cakes, the journal and two shinning beads, a deep blue and bright yellow, from the basket then placed it on a hook protruding from the wall. Placing the cakes in a cupboard, then sat down in a comfortable looking chair.

She stared at the two beads in her hand for a long while before placing them in the small stone mortar. She felt accomplished that she had found the flower so quickly, she had planned the entire day in searching for it. Now finding herself with nothing else to do, she started flipping through the journal slowly, relaxing and feeling warmth as she read through her grandmothers handwriting.

There was a sudden rapping at her door. "Luka?" A man called, sounding urgent.

Luka stood, walking quickly to the door and opened it. "Oh, it's you, Yúma," she smiled, "is someone sick at the castle?"

He nodded, seeming strained. _A tad pale..._She noted to herself.

"It's Prince Gakupo," he continued, fidgeting with his hands.

Luka felt a cold chill crawl over her spine that accompanied the small blush that always came when she heard his name. "Gaku—Prince Gakupo? What's happened?"

"He's been ill for the past few days," he explained in a rush, "but this morning he woke with a burning fever."

At once, Luka began to whisk around the room. She first grabbed her basket from the wall, placed it on the emptiest of tables then began opening jars and putting a small amount of its' contents in small sacks. She tossed each of these into the basket. "What are his symptoms?" She asked, not looking up from her busied movements.

"Well, a few days ago he had the chills and a fever and was bedridden since. He's been vomiting profusely and when he is awake he can hardly stand. The tenants have had to draw the blinds because the light has become painful to him. And the other day, large swells have started appearing on his neck and underarms."

Luka froze, her arm completely immersed in one of the large vases. She stared at him with wide eyes. "He.. has swells…? On his neck and underarms?" The castle nurse looked at her confused as she rushed over to him and grabbed his arm. "Tell me, does he have these on his legs-his thighs?"

"Y-yes," Yúma stammered, staring wide eyed. "How did you know?"

Luka cursed loudly making him jump as panic gripping her. _If he really does have the plague..!_ Her thoughts cringed from the aspect. She paced the room, her panic unable to make her stand still when a silver glow caught her eye. _There would really be no curing him… except…_ She turned to stare at the flower she had found that morning. Sending a small prayer to her grandmother, she walked over to take it from its' case. "I can save him," she said strongly as she placed the flower gently into the basket along with the mortar and pestle.

"You can?" The man asked, sounding stunned.

"Yes," Luka rushed over to a large urn that was filled with crystal clear water. She grabbed a small fat vase sitting next to it and dipped it in, filling it then stuffing a cork in its' opening. "Quickly!" She rushed from her home and down the street, placing the vase in the basket while Yúma sped to catch up with her. She rushed towards the castle, feeling dread seep its way into her heart. _Please, Granny Teto!_ She silently prayed, _give me the strength to save him!_

Luka stared at Gakupo, feeling her blood go cold. He was laying in his bed, breathing hard and wincing with each one. There was a wet cloth pressed against his forehead, his blankets lay down around the bed forgotten. His neck seemed swollen with odd lumps and his arms were spread out from him, unable to close from more lumps that were there. Each had a dark hue to it.

Luka couldn't look away. She felt scared, _he's so different…_ Her thoughts whispered comparing the image of the man before her to the strong and handsome man she always kept in her thoughts.

"Miss Luka?" The voice of a tenant made her jump. A younger woman was tugging at Luka's sleeve, looking terrified. "You can help him, can't you?"

Luka smiled down at her, hoping to look confident. "Yes Gumi, but I need to be alone with him." She paused here then added, "oh, and would you be so kind as to gather every person in the castle and have them wait for me in the hospital ward? I'd like to make sure no one else has this disease."

Gumi looked shocked and a little scared, but nodded. "Yes, ma'am," she turned to the two others in the room. "You heard, Miss Luka, gather every as quickly as you can. Now, she needs to focus on Prince Gakupo," Gumi made a shooing motion with her hands. The two others murmured their acknowledgement and left. Gumi turned and gave Luka a pleading look. "We all dearly love him, he's been such a benevolent ruler since his father passed on. Please, save him."

Luka stared after her, feeling like a huge weight had been dropped onto her. She shook off the feeling and turned to Gakupo. She placed her basket on a table that was in the room, which had a stack of fresh towels and a large bowl filled with cold water upon it, and started taking things out of it, placing them on the table. She grabbed the flower and proceeded to pluck its' pedals, dropping them in the mortar, grabbing the two small beads she had forgotten in it and putting them back into the basket.

Using the pestle, she proceeded to grind the pedals up. After this she quickly ground up the bulb as well. She then reached into the basket and brought out her grandmothers' journal. With one hand she flipped to the page where it described the flowers' traits, while she carefully poured water from its vase into the mortar.

She glanced at him and felt a jolt when she realized he was watching her. His dull purple eyes seemed to flicker with the little life they carried. She felt her face burn and quickly looked away from him. "You'll be better in no time…" She said aloud, hoping he could actually hear her. "I'm making a potion my grandmother once made. She was very good with potions, so this should heal you." She glanced at him but found that his eyes had closed.

Feeling faintly panicked, she quickly mixed the mixture together, watching it as it changed form a murky green to a leaf green. Luka smiled and placed it back onto the table then returned her attention to the journal.

"_Flower made of light,"_ she read pulling a fine white powder from one of the bags she had brought with her and sprinkling it lightly into the plant-water mix. _"I ask that you give thy pure powers to this healing potion, so that I may cure those who everyone holds dear."_ Luka to the stone mortar and saw that the potion had turned a silver green.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "grandmother it worked!" She picked it up carefully and brought it over to the prince. She noticed again that his eyes were open. Feeling slightly flustered she brushed his long hair away from his face and out of his eyes, feeling alarmed by how hot his skin was. She gently lifted his head, doing her best to avoid his swollen neck. His eyes closed and his expression grew pained.

"Drink this…" she hoped her voice sounded calmer than she felt. She placed the mortar next to his lips and as he drank felt hope flare inside of her. Once the potion was completely gone, she drew away from him. She walked back over to the table where there the fresh towels were, she wet one from the bowl and placed it onto his forehead.

Returning to the table she created a quick mixture, similar to what she had just done, only this time she used the flowers remaining parts. She then took several more small bags that were filled with different colored powder and sprinkled a pinch of each into her bowel. Placing a hand over the liquid she murmured, "_purest potion, lend these people your healing powers, to rid them of this accursed sickness."_ She pulled her hand away and examined the now completely clear potion then nodded in satisfaction.

She picked up the mortar and walked towards the door, stealing a last glance at Gakupo before leaving the room and heading towards the hospital ward. The room was only a short walk down the hall, when she entered the room it was filled with people who were sitting on beds or chairs.

"Luka," Yúma walked towards her from the closest chair. "Gumi told me that you were going to make sure that none of us have what Prince Gakupo has. We've gathered everyone who is on staff and Gumi has gone to the village to retrieve those who aren't working today."

Luka nodded. "Thank you, that was very clever," she held out the mortar in her hands. "I will need everyone to take a drink from this. If it runs out I will make more." She handed it to Yúma who took a swallow then walked to the closest person to him. Luka watched the mortar was passed between everyone in the room. Shortly Gumi arrived with several other people and Luka had to make more so she took her mortar back to Gakupos' room. As she made more, murmuring the same spell, she took continuous glances at Gakupo. He hadn't changed much, his neck and underarms were still swollen, his face still had the pained expression, but Luka noted that his breathing had become less strained and ragged.

Throughout the rest of the day she had to make more of the same potion, as villagers, hearing of the princes' sickness came to the castle, hoping to be protected from it. The sun had well fallen below the horizon before Luka made her final trip to Gakupos' room. She collapsed in a chair and sighed deeply, feeling exhausted. She hadn't thought that casting the same small spell repeatedly would be so tiring.

She glanced at Gakupos' bed and she sat up so fast she nearly fell out of her seat. The swells on his neck had vanished, his breathing was coming more naturally and he was sleeping soundly. Luka relaxed back into her chair, staring at him then smiled. "Thank you, Grandmother…" Still smiling, she rested her head against the chair and fell into a deep sleep.

Luka was a small child sitting on an elderly woman's lap. She had long red hair with silver streaks through it. The older woman was humming a soft tune as she ground something in a mortar and pestle, Luka watching as she peered over the table. "Granny, why are you grinding it up like that?"

The woman smiled, pausing in her work to rub the child's head gently. "I've got to make sure that the ingredients will be mixed up properly in order for them to take full effect."

Luka nodded quietly and continued to watch as she started adding water to the mixture. Luka's eyes started to roam about the room, taking in the condensed room with its many pots, urns, tables, tools and plants that were scattered around.

She tapped on the table with both of her hands, returning her gaze to the table. This time she noticed two small beads. One was a deep blue and the other a bright yellow. "Granny," Luka said, pointing at them, "what is that?"

Teto followed Luka's pointing finger and sighed a little. "To explain that I will have to start with a story."

"I'll listen," Luka said excitedly, she always loved grandma's stories.

Teto picked her up and brought her over to a large chair lined with cushions. Luka shifted herself into a more comfortable position then looked expectantly at Teto. The woman smiled at the small child in her lap, "well, I suppose it happened back when your dear mother was still with us. There is a small kingdom to the north of where we are now and there was a time where their king became very ill. Your mother and father, hearing of how sick he was, wanted to go there to see if they could help in any way possible."

"Oh! And mommy and daddy took Luka and Granny too!" Luka smiled.

Teto smiled, "yes, very good. We all went to the kingdom in order to help. It was by luck that your grandma had heard of a very rare species of flower that grew in the forest that lined this village."

"And you found it," Luka nodded firmly.

Teto ruffled the childs' hair laughing softly. "Yes, I did. I used this flower to create a potion that cured the king. Your parents are the ones who gave it to him," here she sighed deeply. "Healing the king was a mistake though."

Luka scrunched her face, "it was bad to heal him?"

Teto nodded somberly. "The king turned out to be a necromancer, a person who brings dead people back so that they are living," she explained when seeing Luka's confused look. "When villagers would die, he would bring them back to life and once he did he could control them.

"And because of what he did, he was very scared of dying. He saw your parents, as a way to live forever. Our family is very good at white magic, which means we can heal other people easily. The king saw this as a way to live forever. He thought that if we healed him he could never get sick and he could never get old."

"That's silly," Luka said, "granny told me that our magic is only sickness healing people magic."

Teto smiled sadly at Luka and patted her on the head. "That's very true, Luka. He didn't understand that, but he still tried. In order to force your parents into his service he cast a dark spell that pulled two evil spirits from the underworld and gave them bodies of their own. With these two evil spirits he was able to corner your parents in the middle of the town. Their only escape was to trap the two evil ones within their own magical orbs," Teto raised her wrists, showing a single white cloth that had a golden bead sewn in the middle of it, "and to kill the horrible king." She was quiet here for a moment. "However, the fact that they cast such strong magic in the middle of the town exposed your parents for the sorcerers they were. The town turned against them…" she trailed off, but Luka felt sadness settle in her heart, she knew what happened after that.

"You've done the same thing."

Luka's head jerked up as she heard the unfamiliar voice. She was no longer sitting on her grandmothers lap, she was somewhere dark and cold. The air smelled stale and there was a dark present that clung to the darkness. There were two children that stood just beyond the darkness, one a boy the other a girl. They both had short blonde scruffy hair, rich blue eyes and large maniacal smiles. They each wore tattered white rags and were holding large glass orbs; the girls was bright yellow while the other was a deep blue.

"You've done the same thing," the boy repeated.

"Repeated what your parents have done," the girl said.

"What will you do now?" They asked, grinning wider.

Luka bolted up out of the chair, this time she did fall out of the chair. Sitting up from the floor, she looked around the room. Sun was filtering through the long windows against the walls, lighting the room enough for her to see that Gakupo was sitting up in bed. Startled she stood and found that she couldn't say anything.

Gakupo smiled at her. His deep purple eyes seem to penetrate her to her core. "Luka, did you watch over me this whole time?"

Luka forced a small smile and nodded then shook her head. "I didn't, not really… I just ended up falling asleep in the chair…" she felt her face burn as she realized she slept in the same room as the prince when he was unconscious. "I-I'm sorry..!"

He laughed slightly that made her feel a little nervous and relaxed at the same time. "There isn't a problem with that." There was a long silence in which Luka busied herself in repacking her basket. "What was it you used to cure me? I was told by the tenants that I only had a few days to live."

Luka hesitated for a second before smiling at him. "It was a potion that my grandmother left to me. It was the strongest one she had."

As Gakupo grew quiet, Luka started to organize things in her basket feeling flustered. She chanced a peek at him and saw that he was looking out of the window with his eyebrows pulled close together. _He's so…_ She shook herself before her thoughts could finish the sentence, but a deep blush filled her cheeks.

Her hands brushed something warm within the basket. She looked down and realized she had just touched the two small beads inside, they were burning hot. Her thoughts flew back to her dream.

_You've done the same thing._

The boy's words echoed in her head and a cold chill crawled down her back.

"Luka," a small pain wracked her heart as fear clouded her mind. She slowly looked at Gakupo. "There was only one other person I know who could have healed someone as sick as I was so easily." Before she could reply Gakupo continued with a smile. "You're grandmother." Luka felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle slightly. She stared wide eyed at him, her mouth slightly open. "Yes, I knew her, though it was many years ago. My father had gotten the plague and within a day, the best doctors in this town said he would die in a fortnight. It was then that your grandmother came into town, she had heard that my father had been ill in the neighboring town and had come to help."

Luka felt the panic and fear fueling her adrenaline. She wanted to bolt from the room as fast as she could, but she forced herself to stay. "I…I think I remember her telling me something like that when I was quite young…" she mumbled returning her gaze back to her basket.

Gakupo smiled. "I was quite young myself when it happened. I don't recall very much…" as he talked Luka touched the beads again, they were still hot. "Though I have always remembered that she used a strange flower in order to heal him." He was saying as he laughed a little, "I was nosey as a child, and couldn't help but peek through the door to watch. She made this strange brew, fed it to my father, and by morning he was nearly completely healed."

Luka stiffened. _If he did watch her then he must have seen grandma perform the healing spell…_ She forced down her panic. "I'm glad to hear that she was so helpful to you."

Gakupo nodded. "I am too, she did save my father after all," he frowned for a moment, sadness settled around him. "In a way, it was all for naught… he did die the following year. Though I was glad to have that little time left with him," he smiled kindly at her.

Luka nodded and smiled as well. _Leave._ Everything inside of her was driving her to flee the room and castle. She pulled her basket over her arm and curtsied the best she could, planning on taking her leave.

"_Flower made of light I ask that you give thy pure powers to this healing potion, so that I may cure those whom everyone holds dear."_

Luka straightened a little too suddenly becoming slightly dizzy. "Are you alright?" Gakupo asked, his voice gentle and concerned.

"I-I'm fine," she stammered smiling at him, feeling terrified. She forced herself to remain calm. She stepped towards the door. "You are still very weak, and you won't be at full strength just yet. You need to rest for at least two days, take it nice and slow. I will come check on you when I can. Until then, please rest easy." She left the room quickly closing the door with a snap.

She forced herself to walk as she traveled through the halls and grand staircases that made up the magnificent castle. Outside however, she broke into a sprint. Her dress whipped around her legs and her basket bumped her hip, but she didn't stop until she had slammed the door of her house shut.

She quickly placed the basket onto the table then ran upstairs. She darted over to her dresser and opened the bottom drawer, pulling out a large book with a warn black cover. She stood while she opened it and started flipping through the pages. She paused at one page reading through it as she sat on the bed that was in the room. After several long minutes she placed the book on her bed. "That's the only spell to end it..?" She placed her head into her hands and made a small sob.

"I'm sorry Granny…" she breathed, "I didn't mean to cure his son…" She glanced over at the small mirror that hung on the opposite wall. "Damn it all…" she stood feeling an ache in her heart. _Why did I have to love him? Why did he have to be..?_

She walked downstairs and over to the basket, where she grabbed the two beads that were still radiating with heat. With a sinking heart she made her way out of the house.

"Luka," Gakupo was there, smiling at her. Around his forehead was a black strip of cloth and a black bead set into it. The entire village stood behind him, all with stony expressions and blank eyes.

"Gakupo…" Luka murmured, balling her hands into fists.

"Nice, isn't it?" He grinned and jerked his head back. "A simple control spell works wonders." Luka remained quiet and Gakupo continued. "You must know why I have done all of this, dear Luka. I need you to be by my side in so that I may live for eternity. My father tried to capture your grandmother, but your idiotic parents ended up killing him."

"My parents sought to protect those who were innocent. You condemn these people, as did your father. You pervert the ways of life by disturbing the dead." Luka's voice rang with power.

Gakupo's smile didn't falter. "Luka, dear, I've known you adored me for all these years. Had I known you were a sorceress of white magic I would have returned your feelings." Luka clenched her teeth. His smile grew wider and he held out a hand. "Take my hand, Luka, and spend eternity by the side of the man you love."

She felt a flare of fear. "If I refuse?"

His warm kind smile turned menacing. "All these people will die."

Luka sighed, deeply. _I'm sorry grandmother…_ She raised both of her hands out, palms facing the sky. Taking a deep breath she recited, "_Evil spirit before me now, I break thy curse with my own. I damn thee for an eternity, trapped within thy own power. Within this first bead I hold I bind your evil soul, in the second I bind my own."_ She finished the spell, feeling a swirl of power well within her. She felt the bead on her forehead heat up as well as the two in her hand. A pain seemed to course through her body and her body jerked. She heard a yell of pain and glanced up to see that Gakupo had doubled over clutching his head. She watched as he tilted back and screamed into the sky before vanishing, the only trace of him was a black bead on the spot where he had been.

Feeling a scorching pain, Luka screeched like Gakupo then succumbed to darkness. As she spiraled down in to the depths of nothingness she heard two voice cackling.

"Thank you, white witch, for reversing what your parents had done. We will reward you for releasing us. We won't kill them." She hardly comprehended the whispers around her as she sank further into black. The only flare of hope she held to what was left of her existence was that she had saved the towns people.

Twins were sitting in a lounge room. The girl was lounging in on a couch while the boy was fixing a tie in a mirror. The girl wore an elaborate yellow, white and black dress with frills lining the sleeves, while ruffles hemmed the bottom. Around her throat was a white cloth with a single white bead sewn onto it. The boy wore a deep blue suit that was trimmed with black and had silver cufflinks. Around one of his wrists was a black strip of cloth with a black bead sewn onto it.

"Len," the girl asked in a slow drawl, "what are we going to do now? We could just kill everyone, but that's not fun at all. And you promised that witch we wouldn't… what a bore…"

He smiled at his sister though the mirror. "True… I was thinking we can keep them as they are now."

The girl smiled, touching the bead at her throat. "Very true… the daughter of the two that entrapped us failed to break the curse that the idiotic prince put on these people. We can just let them wander on for as long as this curse stays in effect."

Len smiled. "Letting these pathetic hollow shells wander around might be amusing."

"I thought of something better," the girl giggled, "we can draw lost travelers to this place, trapping them with everyone."

"Rin," Len turned to smile at her. "You are onto something there… but why should we stop there? Why not then drag their souls down into the underworld?"

"Oh, Len that sounds simple marvelous!" She grinned widely.

"Let us have some fun then, dear Rin," he held out is arm. The girl stood and walked to his side. They left the room, grinning and entwining their fingers.


End file.
